The present invention relates generally to a method for engaging an adjustable bolster on a seat of a vehicle and, more particularly, to a method for engaging an adjustable bolster based on multiple parameters with multiple thresholds.
Although appearing in more printed publications than in actual vehicles, the concept of a seating system having an automatically adjustable bolster activated by a control unit based upon particular parameters is well known. U.S. Pat. No. 4,924,162, which is hereby incorporated in its entirety by this reference, discloses such seating system. As shown in FIG. 3, the seating systems of the prior art are activated by a control unit based upon two parameters, typically steering wheel angle and vehicle speed, each with a single threshold. When the vehicle speed reaches a predetermined threshold and the steering wheel angle reaches a predetermined threshold, the engagement of the adjustable bolster is increased.
Extensive testing of these seating systems, however, reveal that the single threshold aspect for the parameters causes less-than-ideal activation of the adjustable bolster, which may reduce customer satisfaction of the relatively expensive seating system. For this reason, there is a need in the art of seating systems to provide an improved activation of the adjustable bolster.